Make a Plan to Create Order Out of Chaos

By Michael Rhoads, October 14, 2020

Happy (Fiscal) New Year!  Here in the Northeast, the leaves are changing color, the temperature is falling, and just like any other new year celebration, it’s good to take time to look at where you are and where you’re going. Fortunately, OPM and FELTG have multiple resources to help you focus your employees’ goals for the coming fiscal year to maximize your unit’s contribution to  agency’s mission.

Workforce Planning

Are you looking to bridge the gap between your current workforce and the needs your agency is facing to complete its mission? It would be nice to wave a magic wand and have it all appear at once. However, as Ben Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

Having a framework and a step-by-step outline is the best way to begin the planning process. This 5-step model from OPM is a great tool for novices and experts.

Step 1: Set Strategic Direction. Start by linking the workforce planning process to your agency’s annual performance or business plan and consider both the long-term and short-term objectives of your plan.

Step 2: Analyze Workforce, Identify Skill Gaps, and Conduct Workforce Analysis. What are your resources? What are the gaps between the current resources and the goals of your plan? What human capital will you need to accomplish your plan’s goals?

Step 3: Develop an Action Plan. Identify strategies to close the gaps, implement strategies, and measure progress.

Step 4:  Implement Action Plan. Ensure the resources identified are in place, market your ideas to those involved, and execute the plan to achieve your goals.

Step 5: Monitor, Evaluate and Revise.  Monitor progress against milestones, evaluate to improve goals, and adjust goals.

SWOT Analysis

Another tried-and-true method to evaluate and plan new fiscal year goals is a SWOT Analysis.

• What does your agency do well? What are your internal resources (e.g., skilled workers)? What are your Capital Assets such as proprietary technology or intellectual property?
• Where can your agency improve? What resource limitations might hold you back?
• How can your agency leverage its current strengths to create new opportunities? Could press or media coverage highlight your agency’s strengths? What are the emerging markets in need of your services?
• Will the agency have to deal with any changing regulations?

As part of FELTG’s half- or full-day Strategic Planning course, IG-2: Strategic Planning, Scott Boehm will demonstrate how to formulate the OIG Mission and Vision Statements and conduct SWOT analysis.

Also, on November 19, Scott will give an hourlong webinar presentation about how organizing and annual planning can help your Office of Inspector General to make your agency more effective and achieve the annual goals you are planning right now. Register now for Properly Executing Planning and Outreach: A Guide for OIGs and get a jump start on your annual goals.

Stay safe out there, and remember, we’re all in this together. Rhoads@FELTG.com